Thin privilege is buying clothes off the rack at a brick-and-mortar store.
This is one of the areas where the spectrum of privilege is really easy to see. The larger your body, the more limits there are on where you can buy clothing, and the options diminish really rapidly. Folks who wear a size 24 have a tiny percentage of the options of someone who wears a size 12, but that person who wears a 24 has many more options than someone who wears a size 32.
Of course there are lots of clothing brands that sell online, and some plus-size stores carry “extended sizes,” but it is a tremendous privilege to be able to try on clothing in person. If I could somehow retrieve all the money I’ve paid in shipping fees and return fees over the years just to be able to try on clothing that people in smaller bodies can drive to a store and buy on the first try, I could probably fund @belleampleur for a year.
Oh, and taxes, too. A few years ago I tried to find some boots that would fit my calves. Not thigh-high or even knee-high boots, mind you. Just the kind of standard boots that go a little way up the calves. No physical store in my area carried wide-calf boots. I was able to take advantage of Zappos’ free shipping, but I paid hundreds of dollars in sales taxes before finding boots that would fit me.
◇─◇──« »──◇─◇
Privilege is unearned, but it’s not something you need to feel bad or guilty about. Let’s work to extend those privileges to the most marginalized bodies, too.
Learn more about body liberation with my newsletter!
Every Monday, I send out my Body Liberation Guide, a thoughtful email jam-packed with resources on body liberation, weight stigma, body image and more. And it’s free. Let’s change the world together. Subscribe »
Hi there! I'm Lindley. I create artwork that celebrates the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional "beauty" standards at Body Liberation Photography. I'm also the creator of Body Liberation Stock and the Body Love Shop, a curated central resource for body-friendly artwork and products. Find all my work here at bodyliberationphotos.com.